


Ariliel: Sweets and Family

by Tress13



Series: Ariliel Stories [1]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types
Genre: Family Fluff, Gen, Homebrew Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-17 23:13:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21601315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tress13/pseuds/Tress13
Summary: 13 years before Ariliel joins the crew of the Scarlet Ibis: Ariliel looks out for her sister and shares a sweet treat in return (with some chores along the way).
Series: Ariliel Stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1556842





	Ariliel: Sweets and Family

**Author's Note:**

> A story that takes place during Ariliel's childhood.

“I bet the teeth worms would like both of your teeth! Airhead and cry baby teeth are easier for them to digest!”

“Shut your mouth! You’re stupid AND you’re wrong!”

“Keep yelling like that and they’ll crawl right into your mouth an-”

Luvilan, her older cousin, was smirking down at her, his siblings laughing at her anger; laughing at how Zephyrine was crying.  
Ari knew that she shouldn’t give Luvilan the satisfaction of showing her anger.   
She should tilt her head up and drawl a clever retort before walking away, just like her elegant Papa. . . but Luvilan had been picking on Zephy when Ari had stepped in, and her little sister was still sniffing and rubbing a hand against her tear stained cheeks.  
Ari’s fist balled.  
She knew she shouldn’t.

“THEY’LL CRAWL INTO YOUR MOUTH WHEN I KNOCK YOU TO THE GROUND!”

“Ari! Don’t!” her sister’s voice cut in just as Ari managed to make a grab for her cousin’s collar. Zephryine’s small hands reaching for the back of her own tunic and all three of them ended up tumbling into a shrieking pile of limbs.

“MOM! HELP! ARILIEL ATTACKED LUVILAN FOR NO REASON!” Thavandur, Luvilan’s little brother, was shrieking above the racket.  
…. Thavandur had always been a tattle-tale.

~~~

Later that evening Ariliel rested against one of the shelves in her parent’s study.  
She had spent the afternoon dusting the shelves and “thinking about her actions and what actions may have served her better”.  
Ari wasn’t upset to have been given chores in the study; honestly, she’d gotten off easy.   
Papa knew that she enjoyed spending time looking through the shelves: the fairy-tales and arcane text that Mama collected, Nanae’s adventure stories, journals, and maps, her Papa’s books of poetry and history. His koto in the corner.

Spending an afternoon and evening in the study was quite frankly far from a punishment for Ari.  
It did give Ari the time she needed to cool down and think through what had happened.  
  
Ari was still angry at Luvilan. He was a bully and anyone who made Zephy cry like that was a jerk.  
Ari recognized, however, that there were ways she could have handled the situation without putting a hand on Luvilan. That hadn’t solved anything and now she was in trouble.  
Nanae always said that violence was only appropriate in very, very specific circumstances.  
Luvilan might be a bully. . .but she could have stood up to him with her words.  
She could have focused on Zephy. . . . got her sister away from the bullies and find something she’d enjoy - a treat or a good storybook. Zephyrine loved adventure stories.

Ari stood up to fiddle with a some of the map scrolls on the middle shelf when she heard soft footfalls.

“Ari?” Zephyrine’s soft voice in the quiet of the study caused Ari to peer around the shelf; her sister had stopped at the door and was holding a plate full of something.

“I’m over here!” Ari stepped around the shelf with a small wave, “What’s up?”

“Oh! I just wanted to bring you some Ohagi! Apparently Nanae was frustrated about something and. . . pounding and shaping the rice helps?” Zephy tilted her chin down towards the plate that Ari could now see was piled high with the rice & sweet red bean treat.

Ari clapped her hands in delight and quickly rushed over to usher Zephy further into the study.   
They sat down on the empty space near where Papa kept his instruments. Each girl had picked up a piece when their father’s low voice carried over from the door as well.

“Are there enough to share?” Papa’s pale hair caught the light and the strands briefly shimmered silver-gold in the rays of the setting sun from the window.

“Of course, as long as you promise not to eat them all, Papa!” Ari teased while Zephy handed a treat to their Papa.  
The girls giggled; Papa’s love of ohagi was well known in the family.   
It was a treat that he adored but had never learned how to make for himself before he left his home. The family had learned how to make it together and experimented until it was exactly as Papa remembered it.

Papa’s thin hands and delicate wrists could be seen as he used both hands to receive an ohagi, “Thank you, my sweet girls, I think I can manage to leave a few for you both to eat.” Papa winked briefly before taking a bite out of his rice cake.

Soon Nanae and Mama were drawn to the study by the sounds of laughter; and the family spent the evening sharing snacks and stories.  
  
Papa played music as the night fell, and Zephy leaned against her Mama’s rounded form - Zephy and Ari would have a new sibling in a couple months.   
Ari sat with her head resting against Nanae’s shoulder.  
The sound of Papa’s music and her parent’s gentle voices lulled her to sleep.


End file.
